Chapter Three: Among the Royals

I woke up at 5 AM, exactly the same time I always did at home before I remembered  that home doesn’t exist anymore.

The room feels too quiet; no traffic sounds, no neighbors arguing through thin walls, no radiator clanking. Just silence, heavy and suffocating.

I force myself up, shower in the attached bathroom, wondering what it is that Mrs Margaret was reluctant to say and pull on jeans and a t-shirt. My new school uniform is hanging on the back of the door, navy blazer, white button-down, plaid skirt. It still has the tags on. Dad must have left it while I was sleeping.

I leave it hanging and head out to find the staff dining room. The mansion is still confusing, but I follow the smell of coffee  until I find a large, comfortable room where staff members are gathering for breakfast.

Dad is already there, wearing his  uniform. He looks up when I enter, relieved.

“June. Good morning. Did you sleep okay?”

“Fine.” I slide into a seat across from him, avoiding eye contact.

Mrs. Margaret appears with a plate piled high with eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit. “Eat up, dear. The first days are always hard. You’ll need your strength.”

The food is delicious, but it’s just hard for me to swallow. Around us, staff members chat quietly about their tasks for the day. They’re all friendly enough,nodding at me, introducing themselves but I can see the pity in their eyes.

I’m choking down toast when dad clears his throat. “The car will take you to school at 7:30. He hesitates for a while. “And June… please, just try to keep a low profile today. The school is… it’s different from your old school.”

Dad’s doing everything to make me forgive him but mom died, because of me, which is the hardest.

“Don’t worry, I know my place.”

At 7:25, I’m waiting by the side entrance when a car pulls up. The driver is an older man with kind eyes who introduces himself as Robert.

“Morning, Miss Harper. Ready for your big day?”

The title makes me flinch. “Just June, please.”

“Of course, Miss….June.” He opens the back door for me, and I slide in, feeling ridiculous.Why the fuss? 

The drive to Belmont Academy takes twenty minutes through increasingly wealthy neighborhoods. Robert tries to make small talk, but I can barely hear him over the pounding of my heart.

When we pull up to the school, my stomach drops.

It’s a castle. Actual stone architecture, ivy-covered walls, perfectly manicured lawns. Students stream from expensive cars.They’re all beautiful in that effortless rich-kid way: designer clothes under their uniforms, expensive bags, confidence that comes from never worrying about money.

And now? I am convinced that I don’t belong here.

“You’ll be fine,” Robert says gently, like he could read my thoughts. “Just be yourself.”

The moment I step onto campus, I feel every eye on me. Oh, it’s the new girl. I lift my chin and walk toward the main building, pretending I can’t hear the whispers starting up behind me.

“Excuse me? June?”

I turn to find a girl with a perfect blonde ponytail and a genuine smile hurrying toward me. 

“I’m Annabel! Your dad arranged for me to show you around.” 

“ Oh! He did?”

She links her arm through mine like we’re already friends, and something in my chest loosens slightly. “Don’t look so terrified. I know Belmont seems intimidating, but most people here are really nice. Come on, let me give you the tour.”

She chatters as we walk, pointing out buildings. Everything is pristine, expensive and overwhelming.

“Your schedule is pretty standard,” Annabel says, pulling out a paper. “AP Lit, French… oh, and you’re in my AP Lit class! That’s perfect. Mr. Harrison is tough but fair.”

We’re walking through the main courtyard when the energy shifts. Conversations drop to whispers and students literally move out of the way.

Three boys are walking across the quad like they own it and there’s something about the way they move and the way everyone else orbits around them.

The first one is tall and athletic with  a charming smile. Next to him, Adam Kingsley.

He looks completely different from last night. Sober, composed, annoyingly handsome in his uniform with his dark hair perfectly styled. 

Annabel’s grip tightens on my arm. “That's Adam Kingsley and his friends. They basically run this school.”

“Run it how?”

“Like… they decide  who gets invited to parties, who’s worth talking to. They have this exclusive club they meet and no one gets in unless they’re invited.” She lowers her voice. “And they’re kind of terrible, honestly. Especially to new students. Just… stay off their radar if you can.”

“Hey! New girl!”

We turn to find three girls strutting toward us with expensive highlights, designer bags and a smile that doesn’t reach their eyes.

They  look me up and down slowly. “You are the scholarship student everyone’s talking about, right?How… inspiring.”

The word drips with condescension and how is everyone already talking about me when I barely even got her?

“June Harper,” I say evenly.

“Well, June, let me give you some free advice.“Just remember that some people belong here, and some people are just visiting. Know which one you are.”

She smiles and walks away.

“Don’t listen to them, they’re Melissa’s friends… minions, really.” She laughs. “ Melissa is out for her modeling shoot and is rumored to be engaged to Adam soon. They’ve been friends since kindergarten and those three girls are obsessed with Adam and his friends. They are  just territorial.”

“I don’t care about Adam  or his stupid friends.”

First period is AP Literature, and I slide into a seat near the back. Annabel sits beside me, still chattering about teachers and assignments and I feel other students’ curious stares.

Mr. Harrison arrives and launches into a discussion of Romeo and Juliet  when a student aide enters with a note. Mr. Harrison reads it, then looks up.

“June? You’re needed in the counselor’s office.”

Every head turns to stare at me as I gather my things, face burning, and follow the aide out.

The counselor’s office is all warm wood and leather chairs designed to look welcoming.

“June, please sit. I wanted to check in on your first day.” She pulls out a file. “I see you’re here on the Kingsley Scholarship. That’s wonderful! Mr. Kingsley is very generous.”

The word feels like a needle in my skin. 

“Now, there are some requirements for maintaining the scholarship. You’ll need to keep at least a 3.8 GPA, complete twenty hours of community service per semester, and of course, maintain good behavioral standing.” She slides papers across the desk. “Just standard stuff. Sign here acknowledging you understand the terms.”

I scan the document. The scholarship covers tuition, books, uniforms, even lunch. It’s incredibly generous but it makes me feel bad.

“Is there a problem?” Ms. Park asks.

“No.” I sign the papers with hands that shake slightly. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Wonderful! Now, if you ever need anything,someone to talk to, help adjusting, my door is always open.”

In the hallway, I leaned against the wall, tried to breathe and have a moment free of new students or scholarship gossip until I heard a deep voice from behind.

“You look like you need this.” It’s Lucas! He hands me a juice and for a moment, my brain couldn’t process it.

“Thanks.” He smirked as I muttered and I found myself smiling and wonder why  this feels like everything just gets a little lighter.

 “I’m Lucas, by the way. Though you probably already know that.”

“June. And yes, I know who you are. You guys are the untouchable…”

“Untouchable?” His grin widens.

The rest of the day is a blur of classes, curious stares, and whispered conversations that stop when I walk by. By lunch, I’m exhausted and just want to hide.

I’m grabbing my tray, balancing it carefully as I navigate through the cafeteria, when Annabel waves me over to their table.

 Suddenly, I feel a hand shoved from behind and I stumble forward, my tray tilting dangerously and crash directly into someone standing in line at the drink station. It’s Adam!

The impact sends my entire lunch; pasta with bright red marinara sauce slowly flying through the air and landing with a wet splatter all over Adam’s white shirt. Everywhere goes silent and I suddenly wish to be swallowed by a miraculous shark. I opened my eyes to a new world but I still find myself in the cafeteria.